Cover of Train Sim World 5: Standard Edition, depicting three of the operable trains (from left to right): the British Rail Class 350, the MP36PH-3C and the DB BR 411 ICE T
Train Sim World (abbreviated to TSW) is a series of train-simulation games developed by Dovetail Games. There have been seven iterations, including the initial Train Sim World: CSX Heavy Haul in 2017, after which came the Xbox One exclusive Train Sim World: Founders Edition in 2018. Train Sim World was released the same year, followed by Train Sim World 2020 in 2019 and Train Sim World 2 in 2020. Since the release of Train Sim World 3 in 2022, there has been a new release every year.
The key people involved with the Train Sim World branch of Dovetail Games include executive producer Matt Peddlesden,[2] senior community manager Alex Gate,[3] community managers Jamie Ringwood and Jan Klama,[3] and associate designers Michael Alexander and Joe Burgess.[3]
Releases
Train Sim World allows players to walk around the game world in a first-person mode. This mode is utilised in tutorials, scenarios and services in which the first-person mode is required to complete tasks such as refuelling, navigating, doing different types of train driving services or changing switches.[4] It was developed in Unreal Engine 4.[5]
Train Sim World: CSX Heavy Haul
Released on 16 March 2017,[6] CSX Heavy Haul consisted of one playable route: Sand Patch Grade, based in the United States.[7]
Train Sim World: Founders Edition
Released in 2018, the second version was Founders Edition, which was available on Xbox One, containing Great Western Express.[8] It featured three routes, plus the Sand Patch Grade from CSX Heavy Haul.
Players who originally owned Train Sim World: CSX Heavy Haul were automatically updated to Train Sim World, with the existing game being renamed and the new downloadable content (DLC) being added to that.
Players who originally owned Train Sim World were automatically updated to Train Sim World 2020, with the existing game being renamed and the new DLC being added to that version. Despite this version adding the year to the tile, it was the only release to do so, with Dovetail later abandoning the existing release model used by Train Simulator.
The fifth version, Train Sim World 2, was announced on 9 June 2020, with an original planned release date of 6 August 2020. The announcement promoted new features, including the Livery Editor and Scenario Designer. There were two new routes and multiple trains planned for its release: the ICE 3M and Bombardier Talent 2 running from Köln Hauptbahnhof–Aachen Hauptbahnhof, branded as Schnellfahrstrecke Köln-Aachen, and the London Underground 1972 MK2 Stock, with the Bakerloo line.[10] The game also came with Sand Patch Grade route (Cumberland–Rockwood), featuring the AC4400CW, GP38-2 and SD40-2 locomotives. While the route was not new, it had been updated for Windows and was also available on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One with major optimisation to the consoles. The Deluxe Edition also included East Coastway as a Preserved Collection route.
The Preserved Collection allows players to import their previously owned Train Sim World and Train Sim World 2020 bundled routes and DLC into the new game. This meant players could continue using them without the need to pay for them again. Dovetail Games announced the game would be delayed on 16 July, with a rescheduled release date of 20 August, back from the original 6 August.[11] This was to allow them to make Preserved Collection add-ons compatible with their new Scenario Designer. They confirmed that content from this category will not be compatible with their new Livery Designer, due to a change in the way they develop trains, although such compatibility might be provided in a future upgrade (this has since been confirmed; Livery Designer compatibility for East Coastway was included in a February 2021 patch, with more routes to follow).[12] They also announced, within one of their community questions-and-answers livestreams, that their Northeast Corridor route add-on, as well as their Amtrak SW1000R and CSX GP40-2 loco add-ons, were not going to be part of the Preserved Collection due to technical issues.
Dovetail Games unveiled their first roadmap on 18 August, which presented their plans for future additions to the game, as well as the timeline for the additional Preserved Collection add-ons.
On 19 July 2022, Rivet Games and Dovetail Games released BR Class 484: Isle of Wight 2022, a train and route DLC featuring the Isle of Wight and the BR Class 484, going from Ryde Pier Head to Shanklin.
Train Sim World 2: Rush Hour was a season pass containing three routes and came with a free update to the passenger system within Train Sim World 2. It was released on 4 May 2021, and included three new routes: the Boston Sprinter (Boston–Providence), London Commuter (Brighton–Victoria) and Nahverkehr Dresden (Dresden–Riesa). The routes were released between August and October 2021.
Boston Sprinter released on 19 August 2021. It covered 47 miles (76km) between Boston and Providence and included the AmtrakACS-64 and the MBTA (Massachusetts Bay Transport Authority) F40PH-3C. The CTC-3 Coaches and Cab Car were also included. The CSXGP38-2 from Sand Patch Grade was also layered onto Boston Sprinter; however, there are no extra services.
Nahverkehr Dresden released on 9 September 2021. It spanned the 34 miles (55km) line between Riesa and Dresden, and also included the 14-mile (23km) fast line which runs parallel to the main route. The 3.1-mile (5.0km) branch to Großenhain and 5.6 miles (9.0km) to Meißen Triebischtal were also included. The route includes the DB BR 442 'Talent 2', DB BR 143, DB BR 146.2, MRCE BR 185 and DB BR 363 as the primary trains, along with the fourth-generation Doppelstockwagen coaches and cab car. The DB BR 101 DLC and DB BR 406 ICE 3M were layered on and included intercity and ICE services that use the fast line.
On 11 November 2021, Rush Hour was taken off sale on all stores; however, the three routes could still be bought separately, or as a bundle, in the Rush Hour Deluxe Edition of Train Sim World 2. The Deluxe Edition also included the base routes, Sand Patch Grade, Schnellfahrstrecke Köln-Aachen and the Bakerloo line.
The sixth installment, Train Sim World 3, was announced on 9 August 2022, with its official release date on 6 September 2022, although it released to pre-orders on 2 September 2022. It featured three routes that were available to pre-order: Schnellfahrstrecke: Kassel–Würzburg, an extended version of the Southeastern High Speed route, which included Ashford International and Dartford, and the last pre-order route was Cajon Pass. New weather features, such as Dynamic Weather and volumetric clouds, were also added in; passengers were also able to change clothes based on the weather and season, including the use of umbrellas.[14] Like TSW 2, Preserved Collection was brought back and all routes playable in TSW 2 were playable in TSW 3, renamed as "Train Sim World Compatible" add-ons.
DLC available as of July 2023 for Train Sim World 3 included Amtrak's Acela as a locomotive for Boston Sprinter with Northeast Corridor from New York to Trenton, including the NJ TransitALP-46, and Amtrak ACS-64, including the return of the Metroliner Cab Car, with both released on 21 February 2023.
In April 2024, LIRR Commuter: New York–Long Beach, Hempstead & Hicksville was released, including the M9 EMU, which was brought into service in 2019. The route included 57 miles (92km), which was an additional 15 miles (24km) of the Long Beach Branch compared to the original TSW 2020 release of the original Long Island Rail Road add-on. An additional ten stations were added, bringing the total to 37.
The eighth iteration of Train Sim World was announced on 20 August 2024, and was released on 17 September, one year on from the release of Train Sim World 4. For existing users, the base game is a free upgrade, which was initially available for thirty days from the release date, but has since been extended to early 2025.[18] During that window, a starter pack will be available, containing the Training Centre, Livery Designer, Free Roam, Formation Designer and Scenario Planner.[19]
Frankfurt–Fulda Kinzigtalbahn line (64 miles (103km) and 24 stations, featuring the DB BR 411 ICE T, DB BR 423, DB BR 146.2, DB BR 114 and DB BR 193 Vectron, DOSTO and cab car, and Kijls, Sggmrss and Habbiins freight wagons)
Los Angeles–San Bernardino Metrolink line (57 miles (92km) and 16 stations, featuring the MP36PH-3C, Metrolink F125, Rotem cars and cab car, and Bombardier cars in two livery options)
The Deluxe and Special editions include the three aforementioned routes, plus:
Avanti West Coast Class 390 Pendolino EMU (9- and 11-car variants)
FlixTrain DB BR 193 Vectron (the third variant of the Vectron in the Train Sim World series) and Talbot coaches
The Special Edition adds one route from Train Sim World 2 (the Bakerloo Line), three from Train Sim World 3 (the Kassel–Würzburg line, the Northeast Corridor Line's New York–Trenton route, and the Bahnstrecke Bremen–Oldenburg line) and one from Train Sim World 4 (the Suffragette Line, also known as the Gospel Oak to Barking line (or GOBLIN)).[21]
Train Sim World 5 also includes a Conductor Mode, Route Hopping, Fast Travel and an updated Live Map.[21]
Just Trains' second route for the Train Sim World series was the 90-mile (140km)Preston–Carlisle stretch of the West Coast Main Line, including Shap Summit. Set in the late 1980s, it also features the Morecambe branch line from Lancaster. The British Rail Class 87 was included, as was the three-car variant of the Class 101 and four-car variants of the Class 142.[22]
Train Sim World VR: New York
Dovetail Games' first foray into virtual reality, Train Sim World VR: New York, was announced on the same day as Train Sim World 5. Developed in partnership with Just Add Water, the game will allow the Harlem Line route to be played on the Meta Quest.[21]
Editing tools
Train Sim World 2 features a livery editor and a scenario editor, with further plans on adding features to the current toolset.[23]Train Sim World 4 adds an editor for routes, locomotives and gameplay.[24]
Unreal Engine 4 editing tools
Originally, there were plans to bring Unreal Engine 4-based editing tools to Train Sim World. In a September 2018 studio update, it was revealed that the tools would be the same as that used by Dovetail Games to create content, allowing users to create routes, locomotives, wagons, coaches, scenarios and services.[25] However, it would not have been possible to edit existing routes released by Dovetail Games at launch.[26] It was planned for an open beta of the editing tools to be released. Dovetail Games also planned on creating a series of video tutorials for the editing tools.[25]
However, during a Train Sim World 2 Q&A livestream held on 11 June 2020, the developers announced that tools related to Unreal Engine 4 would not be released to the general public. Community managers further confirmed this on Dovetail Games' forums, arguing that "additional considerations make a public release impossible". However, the tools are available to third-party developers.[27]
As part of the release of Train Sim World 4, a beta version of the Unreal Engine 4-based editor was introduced for PC players via the Epic Games Store.[28] The editor allows users to create custom routes, trains, and other assets. However, due to limitations, Custom content is not available for console players.
The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions of Train Sim World were released to "mixed or average" reviews, according to the review aggregator Metacritic.[30][31]
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